Cut the running costs of your country house

Running a country house is expensive, but you could be spending more than you need to.

Know your costs

No two country houses are the same but the principles of successful ownership are comparable, regardless of size. It all comes down to protecting and enhancing your investment, and being sensible about every day running costs.

Take a step back

It’s easy to keep spending money on something simply because that’s what you’ve always done. If you are often away from your property, for example, why keep it fully staffed in your absence? You only need a core staff to keep it functioning, bringing in extra labour when required. By stepping back and taking an objective look, you will see how things might be done differently.

Use a benchmark survey

Benchmarking your spending against similar properties will help you indentify potential savings, without compromising on quality or lifestyle. The most common areas of overspend are labour, energy and insurance costs, with labour often accounting for 50% of expenditure on a large property. It’s not unusual to find savings of 5-10% per year.

Benchmarking can also highlight underspends where, for example, the house and contents are underinsured or where maintenance is falling behind.

Tips for new owners

Putting the right protocols in place from the beginning can make the running of a country house far more efficient, cost effective and enjoyable. Consult the experts.